Job Discussion Forums

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

You won't have the same noise issue because in this part of the world, everything is made of either poured concrete (the floors) or concrete blocks (the interior walls). There is no wood in the desert. I would bet that the street noise will be much more significant than the noise of your roommates possible snoring.

They are certainly not doing it for your benefit... although culturally they think you very odd for wanting to live alone... women almost never live alone at any age. They are doing it to save themselves money. Small flats are rare in Egypt. (they are normally called "flats" not "apartments" - remember the Brits were there for many years) It would be very expensive to put every teacher in their own big cavernous flat alone. Often flats have two salons (living rooms) and how it will be arranged is pretty unpredictable. Though I can say that it is highly unlikely to be the arrangement that we would design. Laughing

Sharing would be a deal breaker for me, as I have never and would never have done it. You will have to see how sharing a kitchen... and perhaps a bathroom goes... and if you are unable to tolerate it, see if they will give you an allowance to go and rent your own place for the second year. (I'm assuming that this is a 2 year contract?) It may come down to whether they want to keep you or not.

VS

eyda · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Posts: 18 Location: Cairo

Gotta say, that like VS, that's a deal-breaker for me too. I asked the school in Alex only a week before arriving about finding single digs...I had to pay about 400 LE/month for it, but that was money well spent! You might want to try asking...

About a 'nanny' or cleaning woman - BE CAREFUL. Many women get pressured by husbands/brothers/boyfriends to 'borrow' things from you. Last year in Cairo, friends had to get a safe and have it bolted to the floor, because the last nanny had swiped the entire safe! Sometimes you can get the cleaners from school to come to your flat... they might not be as likely to be tempted.

Part of living in Egypt is realizing that you are more wealthy than 95% of the population, and although you work hard for your salary and save up for vacations, it's very, very hard for Egyptians not to think you live a charmed life. In particular, if you are working with local staff, you'll soon learn that while your salary may be 6,000 LE/month, theirs will be in the 900 LE range, if that. Kinda hard not to resent the whilte faces...

Just something to know. As noted above, Egyptians are on the whole a friendly lot. (But if you're blonde, be on guard for the gropes and cat-calls...the harassment can be brutal)

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

justcolleen · Joined: 07 Jan 2004 Posts: 654 Location: Egypt, baby!

juliagirl · Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 69 Location: California

I'm pretty lucky in the attention department. I have dark hair that I dye black. My skin in pretty light, but I take sun well (from California). As long as I don't speak, I can blend pretty well in most places.

Cleaning helper a MUST. The only thing I am taking with me of any value is my netbook and passport. To cut down on the heavy luggage, I'm even thinking to buy clothes locally.

I told her the sharing thing would be a deal breaker for me (funny we used the exact same words), but she is still pushing, said that they were trying to get 2 6000 LE apartments for a total of 4 teachers.

The contract is only for one year with an option to renew.

School starts September 1. I wonder how soon they will fly the teachers out....

Vanity question..... my vice is expensive cosmetics.... how available are these? Anything I should bring with me that they won't have there? (i.e. girl things)

Thanks again. I wish I could tell you how much your time and information is appreciated. You have both seriously impacted the next year or 2 of my life!!!

Julia

justcolleen · Joined: 07 Jan 2004 Posts: 654 Location: Egypt, baby!

juliagirl · Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 69 Location: California

Your list was awesome. 99 cent store for paper. Walmart for Crayons and I go have a mini glue gun. Always and Tampax are okay by me. I'm going to visit my favorite department store counter for the vanity issues and the local footlocker. Thanks again. Hopefully I can take you to tea one afternoon as a thank you for all the kind advice. VS, I'd love to take you to tea as well, but seeing as though you are back in the states, it might just have to be virtual tea.... Smile

Cheers!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Virtual tea is just fine... I just hope you enjoy your time... the most important things to pack are your sense of humor and patience. This is the land of "ma'alish" and "bukra Insha'Allah" ... often one must just smile and nod and save your screaming for the shower. Cool

justcollen... are you serious? 500 LE for rent? Furnished? Are you sure that a lone expat female can get that rate or would an Egyptian negotiator be needed? My last flat in Cairo in 2001... a small one bedroom was 2000 LE... granted it was in Zamalek and had a washing machine and a small AC, but everyone considered it a real good deal.

Even in 1985, I paid 250 LE for a very basic furnished flat with no expat frills like AC, screens on the windows, washing machine or even hot water in the kitchen... and the landlords claim that they were giving me a hot deal was confirmed when the tax authorities arrived for an audit and forced him to claim 500 LE as the income because that was the market rate. (Dokki, not Zamalek)

I'm shocked that rents are that much lower in Alex. I think I should have retired there!! Laughing

(if only I could have)

VS

eyda · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Posts: 18 Location: Cairo

I would think that 6,000 LE/month for a flat is going to be a very posh one...those beautiful abodes whose owners rent for dollars. The best flats I saw in Cairo were only 5,000/month.

My Alex flat - 2 bedroom, 1 a/c (no heater - desperately cold for a few months), and sea view, was only 1200 LE, of which I paid 400 myself. I dare not imagine what you'd get for 500 LE/month - gasp.

I'd also recommend bringing your favourite shampoo, etc. Sometimes you can find stuff, but there's just something wrong about paying 50 LE for a bottle of $1.99 Herbal Essence!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Hair products are one of our biggest rip offs... you pay for a color or scent you like basically. I bought local brands that I didn't mind the scent. Back in the 80s when I first arrived in Cairo, there were few imports at all (shortage of dollars for them to pay for imports). The choice of breakfast cereals was Kellogs Corn Flakes for US$10 a small box or local corn flakes in a bigger box for US$1. The only difference was the size of the flake... and you had to be a bit careful of running into a hard kernal now and then. Taste was the same.

Of course I was a grad student earning 310 LE a month and my rent was 250 LE. (needless to say I had to supplement at the local AMEX office)

VS

justcolleen · Joined: 07 Jan 2004 Posts: 654 Location: Egypt, baby!

Yes, I'm sure about 500 LE/month. Actually, one of my (American) friends lives in a 400 LE/month furnished flat and, I have to say, it's not too bad at all.

Here's the scoop.

Rent rates triple during the summer because that's when the Gulf Arabs with money come to Egypt to vacation because it's cheap (either they don't have enough money or don't want to explose their families to European "culture" to vacation in there), comparatively. That is, of course, if they haven't already bought a flat and the artificial inflation that came with that Gulf money is part of the reason real estate prices are so high to begin with. That and the population explosion.

Assuming we're not talking about tourist season, June 1 to September 1:

The closer a flat is to the sea, the more it rents for. The closer, geographically, it is to the Corniche, the more it rents for. If it has an elevator, it costs more. If there's a baweb (doorman/errand guy), the rent is higher. Intercom system? More. Security (overnight baweb in a uniform) who will push the buttons on the intercom system to announce your guests? Even more. There are other amenities that add to costs as well: whether the neighborhood has a sufficient electrical supply, ensuring electricity 24/7, whether there's a net cafe close enough to hook up interenet access and whether there's a switch inside the building to supply it from within.

Alexandria is a tourist town by the sea and by the sea alone. Three streets away from the sea - where tour groups never venture - is where the poverty, squalor, filth, leper colonies (yes, it's true), drugs, prostitution, etc., can be found. With the lower standard of living comes a lower cost of living.

We spent the first year here in a nice furnished flat in Sidi Bishr (with an elevator, baweb, and security, two blocks from the sea). The rent was 800 LE. When we looked at it, there was another flat downstairs that rented for 500 LE, however the loss of quality didn't make up for the lower expense so we didn't take it. Our flat, however, didn't have hot water in the bathroom so we installed a tank and the owner reimbursed us. It also did not have heat, however to electric heaters for 120 LE each fixed that.

We now live in a 3 LE/month flat (because of an "old rent" lease my husband's grandfather signed and inheritance laws that allow this) in Sidi Gaber.

And to answer your question, VS, it would definately have to be an Egyptian male - alone, without a foreign face in sight - to fetch a decent price. Egyptians have made gouging tourists (meaning foreigners) an art form.

juliagirl · Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 69 Location: California

I know that EELS is hiring 4 teachers this year. 2 in kindy, 1 for first grade and one for second (me). First grade is still open. I am wondering if any of the teachers who have applied or been offered a spot are reading this board. I just kind of wanted to 'meet' my future workmates since from the sounds of things we will be on the same flight into Alexandria. Also, are there any teachers no longer working there who might want to share there experience?

I have heard that there was an 'ify' situation with the former teacher and for this reason I think I am not getting the email address of the former teacher as I asked.....

hmmmmmmm......... too late to change my mind anyway..... and the package seems like a good one.....

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Just have low expectations. There have been no horror stories here, so it will probably be OK. Just learn to bite your tongue every time your mind says, "this isn't the way this should be done..." Laughing

Think it, but try to avoid saying it... out loud... in public...

Living in this part of the world can be a challenge... we called it "The Adventure of Living in Egypt."

VS

Vgrace · Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 9 Location: Plattsburgh, NY

I have not heard of this school, and upon reading these posts I did an internet search. How did you find out about this school, and apply? I am looking to teach overseas and Egypt is one of the locations where I would like to live, even if only for a year.

I have 2 Master's Degrees....one in Teaching and one in TESOL.

Maybe this school still has a position open? Could anyone direct me how to find out, or how I can send my information to the school?

Thank you! Shukran!